The Challenger
by LiVe.LaUgH.lOvE.kLaAtU
Summary: Not only does Samantha have a new niece or nephew coming, she also has a new house guest- Brynna's niece. Things start to get a little hectic when an Ely has eyes for Sam's new house guest. Then again, they're not the only one with hidden feelings.
1. Prologue

**_The Challenger_**

**_Prologue_**

Samantha Forster stood at the top of the stairs, straining to hear the conversation her father and step-mother were having downstairs. A phone call just after dinner had driven her up to her room, leaving Wyatt, Brynna, and Gram to discuss whatever news the caller had given the Forster family. The phone call took roughly two minutes and it had left Brynna in tears.

Cougar, Sam's kitten, weaved in and out of her legs with tiny waves of purrs.

"Sam," Dad called tiredly, "could you come downstairs, please?"

Plucking the tiger-striped kitten from the hardwood floor, Sam practically flew down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Yes?" she asked, blue eyes dancing from the three adults milling about the River Bend Ranch kitchen. Wyatt stood just behind Brynna, who had stopped crying, and Gram scurried around the kitchen, cleaning the remnants of the dinner dishes.

"That was Child Protective Services on the phone and..." Wyatt rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. "Brynna's niece is still underage, so she'll be coming to stay with us. I don't want any issues with her coming to stay at River Bend, is that clear, Samantha? Brook's been through a rough time and I don't want to make things even tougher with her parents bein' murdered and whatnot."

Sam's blue eyes widened. _Murdered?_ "I-I won't," she promised, shaking her head quickly.

Wyatt nodded, a sign that Sam took for a dismissal and took off, scampering back into her bedroom. _I didn't know Brynna had any siblings, much less a niece. That'd make her my step-cousin, wouldn't it? _Sam thought anxiously, sitting cross-legged in the middle of her bed.

"I feel bad, but it'd be terrible if she turned out to be just like Rachel," Jennifer Kenworthy, Sam's best friend next to Jake, said matter-of-factly the next morning on the bus ride to school. With her long, snowy blond hair braided, Jen looked the part of a mathematical genius.

"Jen!" Sam exclaimed softly, though agreed mutely. Family or not, it wouldn't be easy living with another Rachel Slocum, Darton High School's reigning princess, at River Bend Ranch.

There was just under four hours before Brook would arrive from Hollywood, Florida. All Brynna had told her was Brook was older than Sam, around Jake's age, and enjoyed horses as much as she did. Though Brynna didn't say much more due to the fact she hadn't seen her brother's family for almost five years. Brynna's brother and sister-in-law had both been successful criminal lawyers, resulting in scarce vacation time to visit family.

Sam had spent all night preparing for her step-cousin's arrival by cleaning and shifting furniture to allow the newcomer to sleep in her own bedroom and finally found a combination that allowed everything to work out on her favor. A blow-up bed had been fitted to the bedroom and closet space had been made. With any luck, everything would work out.

The remainder of the school day had gone by in a blur for Samantha Forster and by the time she had reached River Bend, she raced off the bus, promising she'd call Jen as soon as she had figured the visitor out. The thirteen year old hesitated at the front door when the aroma of Gram's famous cooking had greeted her and with a final intake of fresh air, she stepped inside, dropping her backpack off once she had registered the welcoming sight before her.

Gram sat at the table with a brunette with piercing steel-gray eyes. Both had plates of pastries in front of them. "Hi, you must be Sam," the newcomer said, offering the younger girl a friendly smile, revealing petite white teeth. "I'm Brooklynn, but everyone calls me Brook. I'm Brynna's niece, so I suppose that makes us step-cousins."

The warmth that colored the older girl's voice suddenly sounded promising for Sam and she returned the smile. "I am and I guess we are," she replied sheepishly.

"Sam, why don't you show her around?" Gram suggested. "I'm sure Brooklynn would like to stretch her legs after being cramped up in a plane for more than half of the day."

Sam nodded quickly, well prepared to ask if her new step-cousin would like to walk around River Bend when she slid carefully from her seat. Sam's jaw dropped. Brook _towered_ over her and she was only _two_ years older than she was? Brook was easily Jake's height at around five seven. Brook reminded Sam of someone she had seen in a magazine from her appearance. The clothes she wore were simple, but she somehow made them look like they were couture.

"Um, we have several mustangs we use for the HARP program - "

"What's HARP?" Brook interrupted gently, her smile bashful.

"It stands for Horse and Rider Program, it's a program used to pair up misfitted children and mustangs together," said Sam. It still startled her to hear the question despite the fact Brynna had said her niece was a horse fanatic. "We've only had a few sessions, but all of the mustangs we've used have benefited from it."

"Do you use that little black filly for the program or is she still too young?" Brook asked, nodding towards the little corral adjoining to a large box stall.

Sam smiled wistfully. "Tempest is mine, but we use her dam, the buckskin for the program," she replied. "Sunny was abused by some horse rustlers and then kind of had her freedom damaged when there was a barn fire, but she's tolerant of most humans now. You just have to be gentle and careful around her - "

"Hi there cutie," the seventeen year old crooned, turning to a little bay. "Is this one used for the HARP program too?"

"Occasionally," said Sam, shrugging. "This is Ace, he's mine. That little sorrel is your aunt's mare, Penny. Blue Wings is that beautiful gelding right there. The bald faced gelding is Tank and next to him is Amigo. The Appaloosa next to the roan is Jeepers Creepers and the roan is Strawberry. And the white albino is Popcorn, he's used for the program too."

"Who does that black mare belong to then?"

Sam inhaled, squaring her shoulders at the sight of the black mare with the roached mane. "Jake. Jake Ely, he's one of my...best friends," she said, fumbling with her words. "Jake works for and with my dad training young horses. My dad buys them and Jake trains them and they split the profit."

"Hasn't anyone told you it's not polite to talk about people, Brat?"


	2. Chapter 1

*Quick note - Jake is seventeen and Brook is sixteen, her birthday is later on in the series, but they're both juniors. The timing is a little off in the story too.

**The Challenger**

**_Chapter 1_**

_"Hasn't anyone told you it's not polite to talk about people, Brat?"_

Sam whirled around to face a broad shouldered teenager with a wolfish grin. "I'm not - " she began, then realized she actually had been talking about him. "This is Brooklynn, she's Brynna's niece."

To her surprise, Jake's smile looked genuine and warm as he nodded at her. "I'm sure Brat's already told you about me, but I'm Jake," he grunted, tugging at the Stetson currently shielding his lively brown eyes.

Sam swallowed a laugh. She was used to Jake's reserved personality towards people he didn't know, but it almost seemed as though he was interested in her step-cousin. With long brown hair and blue-gray eyes, it would be hard not to. Jake turned away, he had caught Sam's expression out of the corner of his eyes and found it unsettling. There was something about Sam's twinkling blue eyes that made Jake pull his searching eyes from her step-cousin. "Wyatt told me to check on the winter pasture," he prompted. "Jed said he thought he saw a fence down."

Sam nodded uneasily, unsure of what to do with her new house guest until she smiled eagerly. "Can I go?" she asked hopefully, her blue-gray eyes were already flickering towards the ten-acre pasture to evaluate the working ranch horses.

"I don't mind," Jake shrugged.

"You can take Jeep or Strawberry," offered Sam, motioning towards the rat-tailed Appaloosa and the cranky strawberry roan.

Ace's longing whinny erupted from the barn and Sam squirmed, she was itching to get her little mustang gelding ready for the task. Common sense told Sam she'd have to wait and help Brook tack up whichever mount she chose.

"I'll take Jeep," Brook decided cheerfully, looking eager to get moving. "Just tell me where everything is and I'll be ready in no time."

_Right_, Sam thought with a stupid grin. Brynna had said her niece knew how to ride and was just as horse crazy as she was. "Follow me," she nodded.

Like Brook had promised, she had brushed and tacked Jeepers Creepers in a startling amount of time. Jake and Sam exchanged a bewildered look as she swung into the saddle with a breathless expression.

"How'd you do that so fast?" Sam asked, only then throwing her saddle over Ace's small back with a small huff. Although quick, Brook had been efficient in grooming and saddling the brown and white Appaloosa gelding.

"In Florida, I was an exercise rider down at the track," Brook shrugged. "It kind of came with the territory and after five years, it's just natural for me."

Sam's eyes narrowed as she gave the older girl a critical once over. Brook was certainly lean, but she certainly couldn't be a featherweight if she was just about Jake's height. "That's really cool," Sam admitted. "Have you breezed any well known horses?"

"I've breezed every other Thoroughbred on the track right now," Brook said with a shrug. Though she didn't sound cocky, she sounded pleased and wistful, almost as though she missed all of the young Thoroughbred's she had exercised.

Jake looked thoroughly impressed, despite his different approach to training and riding. Sam nodded carefully and swung into the saddle, Ace antsy to get moving in the brisk winter air. The two circled their hoses until Jake had swung aboard his temperamental mare, Witch.

"So, Brook, you'll be going to Darton with Sam?" Jake called.

Brook pulled at the reins, falling back to answer Jake's question. So far, Jeep had been a smooth ride despite the brisk air, but she had been able to sit through his prancing until he had calmed himself down. "Yeah," she nodded. "I'll be finishing up my junior year there and then I'll be there my whole senior year."

"Like me," he said cheerfully. "I'm a junior at Darton High."

Sam pricked her ears to catch parts of the conversation. It didn't seem like they were flirting with each other, but Jake was being startlingly friendly. Especially towards someone he had just met.

"With long legs like yours, you look like a runner," he continued, laughter warmed his voice.

Brook laughed, lifting her shoulders in a lazy shrug. "I'm no sprinter, but I enjoy soccer and tennis, so I'm hoping I'll be able to play sports," she said. "I hope Uncle Wyatt and Aunt Brynna will be okay with it, you know?" Jake's expression must've been puzzling because the sixteen year old continued. "I'm staying as a guest at River Bend, I should be able to contribute something. I don't want to be useless, so I want to be able to complete chores, not blow them off."

"I'm sure they'll let you play," he said reassuringly. "Maybe you should talk to Wyatt and Brynna about this, I'm sure they'll think about it."

The brunette shrugged, suddenly finding an interest in the frosted foliage as they road along. Sam was still in front trying to calm the spirited little mustang. Being born wild and free, there were times it seemed as though Ace craved to return to the wide open _playa _even if only for a moment.

o0o

The River Bend Ranch courtyard was cloaked in darkness by the time the trio had returned back from checking the fences along the winter pasture. Unlike Jed Kenworthy had said, there were no diminished or broken fences. All of the red and white Hereford cows were scrounging for grass, but were accounted for all the same. Gram, upon meeting them on the porch, insisted Jake stay for dinner and offered to give him a ride back to Three Ponies once everyone had settled down.

Heavy with pregnancy, Brynna had already eaten and was now dozing on the couch with the TV turned on to the local news station. Wyatt took one careful glance at his wife before he moved into the kitchen to get the report from Jake and the two girls as Gram set warm plates of food in front of them.

"None?" Wyatt repeated, his expression a mixture of annoyance and contentment. "None of those range rats either?"

"None," said Jake firmly.

"Good," he grunted, inhaling another spoonful of mashed potatoes. "How'd Jeep work out for you, Brook? We'll need to find you a decent cow pony if you're staying at River Bend."

Brook smiled uneasily, but Jake beat her to the response. "Jeep worked well for her, but I think Brook'll do much better with more...challenging mount," he explained, his lively brown eyes were sincere as they grazed over the slender girl. Brook would be a good change for him and his surroundings, she might even be able to help him with certain girls. "If she stops by Three Ponies tomorrow, then I'm sure we could try Royal."

"You've still got that gelding of yours, Jake?" Wyatt looked pleased.

Jake nodded briskly. "I'm not sure what it is, but I think Royal needs a specific rider," he ventured, looking questionable, "and I think Brook might be that rider. Brook's got gentle hands and she's a natural in the saddle, I'm sure if she's placed on a spirited horse, she'll stick to. Maybe even the blind mare - "

"I'll make sure Brook sees to your gelding before school begins in a month," Wyatt agreed, blue gaze dancing across the trio of teenagers with a warm expression. "If the weather agrees, Gram will be taking Brook and Sam to Darton to pick up their class schedules tomorrow morning."

Sam couldn't register if she were jealous of Brook or in awe of her. First Jake and now Dad, she had managed to change their normal, reserved personalities to something Sam had yet to experience. _Maybe having Brook in the house was a good thing_, Sam thought with a dreamy smile. Given, she was nowhere near Rachel Slocum-status, but Sam would bet that Brook could easily give her a run for her money, both literally and figuratively.


	3. Chapter 2

**The Challenger**

_**Chapter 2**_

Bright fox-red, the Quarter Horse moved at the slightest movement of it's rider, a lean, half-Shoshone Native American seventeen year old, clad in a flannel button up and faded Wrangler jeans, his black hair pulled back from his bronzed cheekbones, and Stetson shielding the rider from the early morning Nevada sunlight.

"He's gorgeous," the brunette remarked wistfully.

At sixteen, Brooklynn Olson was still fairly fresh off the plane from Miami, Florida where she had lived a luxurious life with her parents, Brad and Avery Olson, both of whom were sought after criminal lawyers until they had been become victims, found with their throats slit in a nightclub parking lot.

By the next afternoon, she found herself living with her aunt Brynna Forster and her extended family on River Bend Ranch in Darton, Nevada. It had taken her little time to settle into her new surroundings and just a week after she arrived, she had already taken up chores and riding for hours on end with Samantha Forster, Wyatt's daughter. That particular January morning, the pair had riden over to Three Ponies Ranch to look at a horse Jake had suggested Brook try.

Samantha Forster's soft blue eyes followed the muscular Quarter Horse's quick, nimble movements and glanced up at the blonde woman and her step-cousin beside her with a faint smile. "Maybe Jake would let you try him out," she suggested. "What'd you think?"

"I'd love that," she agreed, peering through the wooden fencing of the round pen to follow the cow horse's quick movements in the small enclosure. "Hey Jake, can I jump on for a couple of minutes?"

Without a single acknowledgement, the gelding moved from a smooth, ground eating lope to a quick stop, his thick haunches tucked neatly underneath him. Jacob Ely motioned towards the newcomer and watched as she crawled through the wooden railing, offering an upturned palm to the fiery coated Quarter Horse. "Royal's probably going to test you," he warned. "Throw in a buck or two, but stick to and he'll be a dream to ride."

Brook nodded, accepting the reins to the bosal-style hackamore and swung into the too-large saddle, custom fitted to the youngest of the Ely brothers. The bright, fox-red gelding stood motionless, one copper ear flicked back to the new rider and the other flicked forward, as she settled herself in the saddle. The sixteen year old clicked her tongue softly, Jake's warning still echoing in her mind, as Royal moved forward, obedient.

"Good boy," she crooned, nudging the handsome Quarter Horse into a smooth, marshmallow jog.

After several circuits around the round pen, she touched the gelding into a rocking lope. A simple shift in her seat brought the stock horse to a neat, sliding stop and she dropped her reins, unable to hide her breathless smile from floating to Jake, who exchanged a proud nod with the bystanders. "Royal was a gentleman for you, he looked good," he remarked, striding towards the pair.

"Royal felt amazing," she laughed breathlessly, swinging her leg over the backside of the too-large saddle to slip off the handsome Quarter Horse. "I will definitely be getting back to you on him, Jake."

The seventeen year old nodded, motioning her towards the small crowd that had accumulated on the outer railing of the round pen. Although he didn't say much, Brook was quick to notice the excitement that danced in his mustang brown eyes as she turned to leave.

"Brooklynn, I'd like you to meet some of Jake's older brothers," Maxine Ely announced, glancing briefly at the three teenage boys that hovered behind her with wide eyes. "They were quite impressed by the way you handled Royal just now, dear."

A long limbed teenager lifted his head and smiled eagerly. Similar to Jake, the three brothers nearby shared the same bronze colored skin, high cheekbones, and mustang brown eyes. "I'm Quinn," he grinned crookedly, offering a hand of greeting towards the brunette.

A pair of golden eyes gleamed from beneath a black Stetson that looked like it had seen better days as the next Ely moved forward. Unlike Quinn, he was more compact with broad shoulders and a lean body; he couldn't have been older than twenty. "I'm Adam," he smiled.

The final introduction brought Brook face to face with a soft smile, revealing gleaming white teeth. The teenage boy had short black hair that highlighted his mustang brown eyes and mesmerizing smile. The goofy, lopsided grin hinted at a boyish charm that was masked with his rugged good looks and lean body. "I'm Nate," he said, his eyes were soft as they landed on the girl.

Samantha Forster rolled her brown eyes mockingly, exchanging a pointed look with her sixteen year old cousin. "We should get going," she mused. "We only stopped by to check out Royal for Brook, she's been looking for a good cow pony for the past couple of weeks."

"Oh, it's a shame you two couldn't stay," Maxine Ely frowned, trailing after the two girls as they made their way over to a small bay mustang and a slender sorrel mustang. "But I suppose you two have things to do before school begins on Monday."

"Don't remind me," Sam groaned, swinging into the saddle of the little bay mustang that danced with impatience.

"Don't remind you? Don't remind me," the brunette snorted, running her hand along the copper colored coat at her shoulder. "I've got babysitting duty tonight while Gram visits Sweetheart, Uncle Wyatt and Aunt Brynna go to the doctors, and you and Jen study." Truthfully, Brook loved babysitting baby Cody. Less than a month old, the little boy was growing quieter and quieter with every passing night, which meant more sleep for the Forster and Olson family.

The fourteen year old watched as her cousin soothed Brynna Forster's blind mustang mare, Penny before she swung into the saddle. Sam couldn't help but smile. Since her arrival at River Bend, Brook had thrown all of her spare time into riding and training her aunt's blind mare. Within a week, she had already taught the little sorrel cues which had allowed her to take Penny out onto the _playa_ without fear. "It's alright, Pen," she murmured, running her hand softly along her neck down to her shoulder.

The blind mustang shivered, but fell still, ears flickered around the Three Ponies Ranch yard for any sign of a challenge. "You're doing just fine," she said softly, resting her hand on the horn with another soothing murmur. "It was really nice meeting you, Mrs. Ely. Could you tell Jake that I'll call him tonight or tomorrow about Royal?"

Maxine nodded warmly. "I will," she promised. "It was nice seeing the both of you. Ride back safely, okay?"

"Of course," Sam nodded reassuringly. Maxine was quick to treat the pair of teenage girls like her own, but she guessed the insecurities belonged to Brook and the blind mustang mare she rode that morning. It had been proven both Brook and Sam were skilled riders, but nothing was a guarantee out on the _playa_. It wasn't any surprise when Maxine watched the two until they disappeared off the front of Three Ponies Ranch.

Penny snorted into the frosty air, lifting her hooves in a careful prance. "Easy, Pen," said Brook, tugging gently at the reins with a bemused smile, then glanced over sideways at Sam, who was still beaming from when they had left Three Ponies Ranch. "What?" she exclaimed defensively.

"If you can catch Nate's eyes like that, I'm sure you have a good chance of getting any guy at Darton High School," said Sam matter-of-factly, reining Ace in closer to her step-mom's blind mustang mare.

Brook grimaced. Just like her old high school, most guys who had asked her out - they were either players or assumed she would give them a good time due to her physical appearance. "I'm not looking for a relationship right now, Sam," Brook sighed, shaking her head wearily. "Besides, isn't he, like, nineteen?"

"Maybe?"

"Sam," she growled.

Sam sighed indignantly. "Yeah, he just turned nineteen last month," she said, then released another mocking, indignant sigh as she proceeded to further explain the Ely brothers by age. "Jake is seventeen, Quinn is eighteen, Nate is nineteen, Seth and Adam are twenty one, Bryan is twenty three, and Kit is twenty five."

"Perfect."


	4. Chapter 3

_**The Challenger**_

**Chapter 3**

School resumed the following Monday and like Sam had predicted, her step-cousin was getting a lot of attention. The girls watched her with hushed whispers and the boys admired from afar, they quickly reminded Sam of a predator watching it's prey.

Jake's friend Darrell was the first to approach the newcomer with his try at charming her. "Hi darlin'," he crooned, sidling up against her as she pushed a textbook into her locker. "I see you eyein' my buddy Jake over there, but he wouldn't do a pretty girl like you justice. I'm Darrell and I'd like to take you out sometime."

"Thanks, but no thanks," said Brook carefully, extracting her Advanced English textbook with a forced smile. Out of the corner of her blue-gray eyes, she saw both Sam and Jen looking as though they were having more fun then they were letting on.

"Oh darlin'," he said, clutching his chest with a falsetto wail. "Your breakin' my heart."

"Give it a rest Darrell," said Jake, shaking his head in disgust at the poor acting. "Leave Brook be, alright?"

Darrell looked startled. Not only had he not heard Jake walk up beside him, somehow Jake already knew the girl all of the junior and senior boys were fawning over. They both knew it was a matter of time before Rachel found her alone.

Rachel Slocum had been Darton High School's reigning princess since she first entered high school and now that there was a small chance of that title being challenged, Rachel would not be happy. Not only was the newcomer flawless, she didn't need the expensive makeup and clothes Rachel and her friends desired to be popular, and it was only a plus the new girl was rather... pleasant to be around.

"I actually need to talk to the soccer coach," Brook admitted, running a hand through her unruly waves of hair. "Season's almost over, but I'd like to let her know that I'm seriously interested in playing next year."

"The girl's soccer coach is my Advanced Government teacher," said Jen quickly, looking far too excited to have school resume. Brook twisted her head around to roll her eyes at her step-cousin, bemused. In her arms, she too carried an Advanced Government textbook that Jen had neglected to spot.

That was the last time Sam saw Brook until school ended and they were heading towards the school bus.

"You should've seen Mrs. Morrison's face when Brook offered to take the test after ten minutes of studying," Jen laughed, her blonde hair in complete disarray as they climbed the steps onto the bus. "I think Morrison wants you on the team now after you aced the test."

"She does, actually," the brunette said, glancing over her shoulder with a throughtful expression. "Said if I could survive the end of the season conditioning, she'd take me on the team next year. No questions asked."

"Really? I don't think Mrs. Morrison's ever done that before," said Sam, sliding into the open seat next to Jen. "What'd you think Dad and Brynna will say though?"

Chores were both expected and required at River Bend, it would be difficult to maintain school work, ranch work, and sports. Brook lifted her shoulders in a half-hearted shrug, she didn't expect anything good to come from the conversation she would end up having with her step-uncle and aunt once they reached River Bend.


	5. Chapter 4

**_The Challenger_**

**Chapter 4**

"How was school?" Gram asked, greeting the pair of teenagers with a friendly smile.

Sam's loud groan allowed Gram to guess her granddaughter's answer without much thought and she laughed, then turned to Brook expectantly. "It wasn't too bad," she admitted with a half-hearted shrug. "Everyone was really helpful, especially Quinn - Jake's brother."

Gram raised an eyebrow at the particular name, but allowed it to slide through as Sam hastily called down her afternoon plans, already halfway up the stairs. "Mrs. Morrison, my Advanced Government, was pretty surprised that I took the quiz today," she began, accepting a granola bar from the elderly woman. "I think I impressed her even more when I aced it."

"Really? Well done, Brooklynn," Gram praised warmly.

Brook smiled faintly.

"I also talked to her about soccer next year," she added, nibbling at he top of the oat snack with a stiff smile. "Mrs. Morrison told me if I finished up the season with them, she'd take me on the team next year. No questions asked."

"You'll probably have to talk to Wyatt about that," Gram mused, the light in her aged blue eyes was unreadable as she peered down at the sixteen year old junior. "I would bring up that Advanced Placement quiz as well. Wyatt'll need some really good persuasion for him to agree to extra curricular activities while there's still chores to do around the ranch and exercise to be given to that monster of yours."

Brook nodded. "I've got a free period and lunch period at school if I ever needed to finish up some homework," she quipped hopefully, moving to her feet to climb the stairs to the bedroom she shared with her step-cousin. "Sam? I'm coming in."

The muffled response through the door permitted the brunette to slip inside the bedroom and change from her school clothes to a pair of riding clothes. As she pulled off the flannel, Sam found herself staring at several dark lines below Brook's left breast and blushed once her step-cousin had caught her staring. "It says _stay strong_, I got the idea back in December when my parents were killed," she explained, examining the script in the full length mirror. "Brynna signed off on it since I'm underage, she called it my early birthday present."

Sam found herself examining the dark script with an admired smile. "It's cute, I like it," she announced with a brisk nod. "Does Dad know?"

"I would assume so, but maybe not because he doesn't seem like the type who'd approve of a tattoo," said Brook, shrugging on a white cami and a brown button up. "Especially since I'm still about a month from turning seventeen."

Sam couldn't help but agree - her father could be rather strict and stubborn. A tattoo was merely ink embedded in the skin and depending on the artist, they could charge by the hour or the word. Sam could only imagine the string of words that would explode from her father if he ever found out about the tattoo.

"I bet Nate would like it," Sam teased.

Brook whirled around, long brunette hair flying, to greet Sam with an expression of mock horror, to which Sam burst into a fit of giggles."Sam!" she squeaked. "That is _so_ not funny! I've seen him _once_! That was so uncalled for."

Sam smiled broadly, then poked her tongue out at the older girl as she jumped into a fresh pair of jeans. "Not funny," she repeated firmly, trailing after Sam as she skipped out of her bedroom and moved down the stairs. Sam's laughter sailed over her shoulder as she went to greet Ace, her little bay mustang, in the ten acre pasture.

As Sam went one way, Brook went the other and quickly found herself cooing at her muscular Quarter horse gelding as she moved through the barn. "Hi Bubba," she greeted cheerfully, slipping into the stall with a bemused smile. It had become known _very_ quickly that Royal was partial to women and children and became very temperamental towards most men. "Did you miss me? We've got a couple of hours to kill before I basically end my own life for trying to get Uncle Wyatt to agree to sports."

Royal nickered, then bumped her hand gently.

"I know, boy," she said softly. "I might as well just try. I have to remember what my dad always told me: You'll miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take."

The bright fox-red gelding stomped a hind hoof irritably and Brook laughed stiffly, running a hand down the Quarter horse's neck as she reached for his halter. Worn and soft, the leather halter suited the stunning stock horse with the coat that matched it's fiery temper. Royal stood still as she placed the halter on his head and kept still even after he was lead out into the alleyway to be groomed. Only when a deep, though considerably softer voice floated into the barn did Royal's ears flatten.

"Knock that off," she quipped, giving the lead rope a gentle tug of reprimand.

Jake sidestepped to avoid getting in range of the fox-red gelding, which occasionally tolerated him, but he remained cautious all the same. "What're you up to, Brook?" he asked, offering a lazy tomcat grin at the slender framed girl.

Brook pointedly stared at her Quarter horse gelding and Jake nodded. "Isn't Sam meeting Jen?" he asked, regardless of her pointed look. "Do me a favor, please, Brook. I kind of told my brother that I could get you to ride out to Aspen Creek or something with him because he said he could help me with something else."

"Quinn?"

"No," Jake shook his head, his mustang brown eyes were warm with amusement. "Nate."


End file.
